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Bartholomew the Apostle: The Saint of Dermatology

Bartholomew the Apostle: The Saint of Dermatology Bartholomew the apostle has long been associated with skin diseases and may be considered the patron saint of dermatology. This distinction is attributed to one theory regarded his proposed manner of death. After Bartholomew cured the daughter of King Polymios of Armenia, the King converted to Christianity. As a result, Astyages, the King’s brother, sentenced St Bartholomew to be flayed and skinned alive, after which he was crucified upside down. In the Sistine Chapel, he is depicted in Michelangelo’s “Last Judgment” as flayed and holding his own skin in his left hand.1 In Marco d’Agrate’s statue of St Bartholomew, found in the Basilica of Santa Maria della Steccata in Parma, Italy, he is depicted carrying his skin across his body similar to a coat or blanket. Because of this gruesome history, he has been recognized as the saint of dermatology.1 This association has also earned him the designation of patron saint of tanning, in which animal skin is removed and processed to create functional goods. Little is known about St Bartholomew’s life, other than that he was born in Galilee in the first century and served as one of Jesus’s 12 apostles. Even his true name is unclear, as his name can mean “son of Tolmay” or “son of the furrows.” As such, he is often thought to be synonymous with Nathanael of Galilee, who was introduced to Jesus through his apostle Philip. Each time Bartholomew’s name is mentioned in the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 10:1-4, Mark 3:13-16, and Luke 6:12-16), he is also mentioned as being in the company of Philip.2 Several other stories of St Bartholomew’s death exist, including one in which he was kidnapped, beaten, and cast into the sea to drown. Subsequently, his body miraculously washed up at Lipari, a small island off the coast of Sicily. There, a large piece of his skin and bones were kept as relics at the Cathedral of St Bartholomew the Apostle. Over time, this church opened a medical center, and St Bartholomew’s name and relics became associated with medicine and skin disease.2 Back to top Article Information Corresponding Author: Kachiu C. Lee, MD, MPH, Department of Dermatology, Brown University, 593 Eddy St, APC No. 10, Providence, RI 02903 (Kachiu@gmail.com). References 1. Rogalski C, Paasch U. Skin and knife: attributes of St Bartholomew [in German]. Hautarzt. 2003;54(5):457-458.PubMedGoogle Scholar 2. Attwater D, John CR. The Penguin Dictionary of Saints.3rd ed. New York, NY: Penguin Books; 1993. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png JAMA Dermatology American Medical Association

Bartholomew the Apostle: The Saint of Dermatology

Lee, Kachiu C.; Ladizinski, Barry
JAMA Dermatology , Volume 149 (10) – Oct 1, 2013
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Bartholomew the Apostle: The Saint of Dermatology

Abstract

Bartholomew the apostle has long been associated with skin diseases and may be considered the patron saint of dermatology. This distinction is attributed to one theory regarded his proposed manner of death. After Bartholomew cured the daughter of King Polymios of Armenia, the King converted to Christianity. As a result, Astyages, the King’s brother, sentenced St Bartholomew to be flayed and skinned alive, after which he was crucified upside down. In the Sistine Chapel, he is depicted in...
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References (13)

Publisher
American Medical Association
Copyright
Copyright © 2013 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.
ISSN
2168-6068
eISSN
2168-6084
DOI
10.1001/jamadermatol.2013.6135
Publisher site
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Abstract

Bartholomew the apostle has long been associated with skin diseases and may be considered the patron saint of dermatology. This distinction is attributed to one theory regarded his proposed manner of death. After Bartholomew cured the daughter of King Polymios of Armenia, the King converted to Christianity. As a result, Astyages, the King’s brother, sentenced St Bartholomew to be flayed and skinned alive, after which he was crucified upside down. In the Sistine Chapel, he is depicted in Michelangelo’s “Last Judgment” as flayed and holding his own skin in his left hand.1 In Marco d’Agrate’s statue of St Bartholomew, found in the Basilica of Santa Maria della Steccata in Parma, Italy, he is depicted carrying his skin across his body similar to a coat or blanket. Because of this gruesome history, he has been recognized as the saint of dermatology.1 This association has also earned him the designation of patron saint of tanning, in which animal skin is removed and processed to create functional goods. Little is known about St Bartholomew’s life, other than that he was born in Galilee in the first century and served as one of Jesus’s 12 apostles. Even his true name is unclear, as his name can mean “son of Tolmay” or “son of the furrows.” As such, he is often thought to be synonymous with Nathanael of Galilee, who was introduced to Jesus through his apostle Philip. Each time Bartholomew’s name is mentioned in the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 10:1-4, Mark 3:13-16, and Luke 6:12-16), he is also mentioned as being in the company of Philip.2 Several other stories of St Bartholomew’s death exist, including one in which he was kidnapped, beaten, and cast into the sea to drown. Subsequently, his body miraculously washed up at Lipari, a small island off the coast of Sicily. There, a large piece of his skin and bones were kept as relics at the Cathedral of St Bartholomew the Apostle. Over time, this church opened a medical center, and St Bartholomew’s name and relics became associated with medicine and skin disease.2 Back to top Article Information Corresponding Author: Kachiu C. Lee, MD, MPH, Department of Dermatology, Brown University, 593 Eddy St, APC No. 10, Providence, RI 02903 (Kachiu@gmail.com). References 1. Rogalski C, Paasch U. Skin and knife: attributes of St Bartholomew [in German]. Hautarzt. 2003;54(5):457-458.PubMedGoogle Scholar 2. Attwater D, John CR. The Penguin Dictionary of Saints.3rd ed. New York, NY: Penguin Books; 1993.

Journal

JAMA Dermatology – American Medical Association

Published: Oct 1, 2013

Keywords: dermatology

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